J.F. Wahl Elementary School

Summary:

J.F. Wahl Elementary School is a public elementary school in West Helena, Arkansas, serving 519 students in grades PK-6 and part of the Helena / West Helena School District, which is ranked 244 out of 252 districts in the state.

The school consistently performs below the state average in academic proficiency, with only 14.2% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 10.3% in Mathematics, compared to state averages of 33.8% and 36.4%, respectively. J.F. Wahl Elementary has a very low statewide ranking, placing 465 out of 497 elementary schools in Arkansas and receiving a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, with 100% of students receiving this benefit in the past three years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Barton Elementary School, which has significantly higher proficiency rates, it becomes clear that J.F. Wahl Elementary is consistently underperforming. Despite the school's relatively low student-teacher ratio and higher-than-average spending per student, these factors have not translated into improved academic outcomes. The persistent underperformance suggests that the school may need to implement more comprehensive and targeted interventions to address the root causes of the academic challenges faced by its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

125 Hicklory Hill
West Helena, AR 72390

(870) 338-4425

District: Helena / West Helena School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
465^th of 497 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,715

Students who attend J.F. Wahl Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Central High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.0

Number of students: 541

Racial breakdown:

African American:

91.7%

White:

4.4%

Two or more races:

1.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details J.F. Wahl Elementary School ranks worse than 93.6% of elementary schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.89. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (91.7%), White (4.4%), two or more races (1.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at J.F. Wahl Elementary School is 15. (See more...)

Compare J.F. Wahl Elementary School employs 35.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at J.F. Wahl Elementary School is $11,715.

Schooldigger Rankings:

J.F. Wahl Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Helena / West Helena School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Helena / West Helena School District 244^th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for J.F. Wahl Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AR State Percentile
2019	9.86	452^nd	488	7.4%
2021	19.29	413^th	496	16.7%
2022	13.66	424^th	487	12.9%
2023	13.74	434^th	492	11.8%
2024	10.89	465^th	497	6.4%

See the entire list of Arkansas Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for J.F. Wahl Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2018	47	690	0	3	0	8	748
2019	34	649	0	1	0	4	688
2020	31	611	0	3	0	5	650
2021	33	567	0	5	0	3	608
2022	34	557	1	8	3	11	614
2023	23	476	2	6	2	10	519
2024	24	496	5	6	2	8	541

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at J.F. Wahl Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	748	49.3	15.1	26.2
2019	688	47.6	14.4	100
2020	650	45.6	14.2	100
2021	608	39.1	15.5	100
2022	614	41.8	14.6	100
2023	519	33.9	15.3	100
2024	541	35.9	15.0	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio J.F. Wahl Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	748	49.3	15.1	26.2
2019	688	47.6	14.4	100
2020	650	45.6	14.2	100
2021	608	39.1	15.5	100
2022	614	41.8	14.6	100
2023	519	33.9	15.3	100
2024	541	35.9	15.0	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for J.F. Wahl Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$3,313 (28.3%)	$8,402 (71.7%)	$11,715

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on J.F. Wahl Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 452^nd of 488 Elementary schools	Ranks 434^th of 492 Elementary schools	4.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	61.2	52.1	9.1%
3rd Grade English (Helena / West Helena School District)	61.2	52.1	9.1%
3rd Grade English (Arkansas)	72.4	62.6	9.8%
3rd Grade Math (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	41.8	32.8	9%
3rd Grade Math (Helena / West Helena School District)	41.8	32.8	9%
3rd Grade Math (Arkansas)	62.1	54.4	7.7%
3rd Grade Science (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	21.4	9.6	11.8%
3rd Grade Science (Helena / West Helena School District)	21.4	9.6	11.8%
3rd Grade Science (Arkansas)	39.4	35	4.4%
3rd Grade Reading (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	27.6	12.4	15.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Helena / West Helena School District)	27.6	12.4	15.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Arkansas)	38.3	32.2	6.1%
4th Grade English (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	57.8	44.3	13.5%
4th Grade English (Helena / West Helena School District)	57.8	44.3	13.5%
4th Grade English (Arkansas)	69.6	63.3	6.3%
4th Grade Math (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	23.3	12.8	10.5%
4th Grade Math (Helena / West Helena School District)	23.3	12.8	10.5%
4th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.8	48.6	5.2%
4th Grade Science (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	20	12.9	7.1%
4th Grade Science (Helena / West Helena School District)	20	12.9	7.1%
4th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.3	38.5	3.8%
4th Grade Reading (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	26.6	12.9	13.7%
4th Grade Reading (Helena / West Helena School District)	26.6	12.9	13.7%
4th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	45.3	42	3.3%
5th Grade English (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	60.9	49.2	11.7%
5th Grade English (Helena / West Helena School District)	60.9	49.2	11.7%
5th Grade English (Arkansas)	73.3	70.2	3.1%
5th Grade Math (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	14.1	3.2	10.9%
5th Grade Math (Helena / West Helena School District)	14.1	3.2	10.9%
5th Grade Math (Arkansas)	49.2	40.7	8.5%
5th Grade Science (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	13.1	6.6	6.5%
5th Grade Science (Helena / West Helena School District)	13.1	6.6	6.5%
5th Grade Science (Arkansas)	40.7	34.6	6.1%
5th Grade Reading (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	13	13.1	0.1%
5th Grade Reading (Helena / West Helena School District)	13	13.1	0.1%
5th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	41	36.8	4.2%
6th Grade English (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	49.6	65.2	15.6%
6th Grade English (Helena / West Helena School District)	49.6	65.2	15.6%
6th Grade English (Arkansas)	72.8	67.6	5.2%
6th Grade Math (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	12.1	14.5	2.4%
6th Grade Math (Helena / West Helena School District)	12.1	14.5	2.4%
6th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.7	47	6.7%
6th Grade Science (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	12.2	24.6	12.4%
6th Grade Science (Helena / West Helena School District)	12.2	24.6	12.4%
6th Grade Science (Arkansas)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
6th Grade Reading (J.F. Wahl Elementary School)	13	31.9	18.9%
6th Grade Reading (Helena / West Helena School District)	13	31.9	18.9%
6th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	43.1	39	4.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	688	519	24.6%
African American	649	476	26.7%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	1	6	500%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	34	23	32.4%
Two or More Races	4	10	150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near J.F. Wahl Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2024)					ATLAS Reading (2024)					ATLAS Mathematics (2024)					ATLAS Science (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ATLAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
J.F. Wahl Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	125 Hicklory Hill	West Helena	72390	Phillips County	Helena / West Helena School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 338-4425	541	36	15.0	100.0%	24 (4.4%)	496 (91.7%)	6 (1.1%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.5%)	10.9	465^th of 497 public elementary schools	6.4%		13.7	434^th of 492 public elementary schools	11.8%	31	15.9	7.8	8.4	26.8	14.2	17.5	6.3	9.9	28.6	15.0	14.3	3.2	8.4	16.1	10.3	12.7	11.0	8.5	16.1	11.8	$11,715	$3,313	$8,402
KIPP Delta Elementary Literacy Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	210 Cherry St	Helena	72342	Phillips County	KIPP Delta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(870) 753-9800	470	33	14.2	100.0%	20 (4.3%)	439 (93.4%)	7 (1.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	14.5	448^th of 497 public elementary schools	9.9%		18.1	417^th of 492 public elementary schools	15.2%	31	18.8	11.3	20.3		16.9	20.3	12.7	20.4		17.8	17.7	12.7	13.6		14.8	23.1	12.7	20.3		18.8	$12,742	$3,632	$9,110
Barton Elementary School	Public	K-6	9546 Hwy 85 S	Barton	72312	Phillips County	Barton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 572-3984	302	27	11.2	106.6%	185 (61.3%)	89 (29.5%)	12 (4.0%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.0%)	23.8	402^nd of 497 public elementary schools	19.1%		26.8	382^nd of 492 public elementary schools	22.4%	20	38.5	20.0	17.6	23.6	24.4	41.0	14.3	17.7	25.5	24.4	25.7	8.6	19.6	15.7	17.6	15.4	31.4	7.9	23.5	18.7	$9,867	$1,370	$8,497
Marvell-Elaine Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1018b Hwy 49	Marvell	72366	Phillips County	Marvell-Elaine School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 829-2946	142	12	11.7	100.0%	3 (2.1%)	138 (97.2%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2.9	496^th of 497 public elementary schools	0.2%		2.2	492^nd of 492 public elementary schools	0.0%	4	5.9	0.0	0.0	10.0	4.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	5.0	1.5	11.1	0.0	0.0	5.0	4.6	5.6	0.0	0.0	5.0	3.1	$12,462	$2,700	$9,762
Anna Strong Learning Academy	Public	PK, KG-6	214 South Alabama Street	Marianna	72360	Lee County	Lee County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 295-7140	402	25	16.0	99.5%	12 (3.0%)	364 (90.5%)	17 (4.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.7%)	14.5	449^th of 497 public elementary schools	9.7%		7.3	468^th of 492 public elementary schools	4.9%	19	12.0	14.3	18.4	23.3	16.3	14.0	18.4	20.4	13.3	16.8	20.0	18.3	22.5	16.7	19.6	14.0	14.2	20.4	13.3	15.7	$13,903	$3,644	$10,258

Frequently Asked Questions about J.F. Wahl Elementary School

What district is J.F. Wahl Elementary School in?

Helena / West Helena School District

How many students attend J.F. Wahl Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 541 students attended J.F. Wahl Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of J.F. Wahl Elementary School?

Students at J.F. Wahl Elementary School are 92% African American, 4% White, 1% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of J.F. Wahl Elementary School attend?

Students who attend J.F. Wahl Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Central High School

Is J.F. Wahl Elementary School a good school?

J.F. Wahl Elementary School ranks in the bottom 6.4% of Arkansas elementary schools.

Rate J.F. Wahl Elementary School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.